Additions, improvements coming to Summit County recpath

Summit Daily file photo
Trail work and a recpath study are being funded by more than $200,000 in grants recently awarded to Summit County entities by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission. Most projects will get underway next summer.

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The construction of a new segment of the Summit County recpath, connecting the Ten Mile and Vail Pass pathways, will headline a summer of improvements for the local trail system.

“We are really excited to start construction on this new addition,” County Commissioner Thomas Davidson said in a release announcing the expansion. “This is another project contributing to making the Summit County recpath system a world class facility.”

The new stretch will run near state Highway 9 and will connect with the road at Copper Mountain’s Far East parking lot along segments where the ground is already disturbed by a utility line.

A new bridge crossing Ten Mile Creek will also be constructed to allow access to the new recpath and the existing stock bridge across the creek east of the Far East parking lot will be replaced.

The project is the result of a joint effort among the county, the Colorado Department of Transportation, Copper Mounatin and Climax Molybdenum Co.’s community investment fund.

“There were numerous funding partners in both the public and private sectors that helped contribute to making this project a reality,” Davidson said.

Work will begin on Monday and the addition is slated to be completed later this year, depending on the weather.

CDOT will also be making improvements to the Vail Pass recpath this summer, with new asphalt and repairs on the timber bridge structure, with the aim of making the ride smoother for bikers and enhancing safety for all users, according to the statement.

The path will remain open through the work, but there could be delays of 5-10 minutes Monday through Thursday, and cyclists might be asked to dismount and walk through the construction zones.

Summit County crews have recently completed a repaving project on the Dillon-to-Keystone segment of the recpath, having added 3,000 feet of new asphalt. On Monday, work will begin on replacing an additional 2,000 feet of pavement in the same area. Decking on an existing bridge will also be replaced, and a new curb and gutter will be installed to improve drainage.

“This project replaces a section of the recpath that is in poor condition,” Brad Eckert, county open space and trails resource specialist, said in the release. “It improves safety for recpath users, and enhances their recreational experience. The contractor will make every effort to have the project completed ahead of schedule, weather permitting.”

There will also be re-striping, signing and pavement-marking operations going on throughout the system this summer.